Republicans questioned the timing of state Sen. Sam Kitzenberg's decision, just months after the Democratic administration of Gov. Brian Schweitzer gave Kitzenberg a job as a Revenue Department analyst.
Schweitzer dismissed the notion there is a link, saying he has not talked to Kitzenberg in months.
The governor said he did not hire Kitzenberg, a decision he said was made by one of his agency directors.
Valley County Republicans said they were not totally surprised Kitzenberg switched. The Glasgow resident has backed Democrats for years and often voted with Schweitzer's administration in the 2005 Legislature, a party leader said.
But the timing of Kitzenberg's move, which breaks a 25-25 tie in the Senate following last week's elections and comes on the heals of Kitzenberg's new job, miffs Republicans.
"We had serious concerns last year when he took that position," said state Sen. Corey Stapleton, R-Billings. "It was quid pro quo, what did they want from him?
"Our worst fears came true."
Kitzenberg did not immediately return a call seeking comment Tuesday morning.
It "smelled of political payoff," Valley County GOP chair Peter Hellend said of Kitzenberg's job and party affiliation switch.
The Senate now goes to 26-24 in favor of the Democrats.
The news comes as Democrats appear to be on the verge of picking up a seat in the House as well, which would flip a 50-49 Republican advantage to the Democrats by the same margin. One seat is held by the conservative Constitution Party.
A Dec. 1 recount could determine the fate of a tied House race in Yellowstone County. Schweitzer gets to break the tie if it remains deadlocked.
Hellend said Kitzenberg has long been an unwelcome Republican by siding with Democrats.
"It's nothing new for us up here that are Republicans," Hellend said of Kitzenberg. "He hasn't had the support of the Republicans that are active in politics up here for years."
Schweitzer said he is letting the Legislature sort through its own leadership questions as the results of the election solidify.
"What happens in the Legislature is outside the purview of the executive branch. I know better than to wade in over there," he said.
Schweitzer said Republicans shouldn't be shocked by Kitzenberg's defection since they actively campaigned against him in his last race and said "mean-spirited" things about him.
Democrats in the state Senate will now get control of committees and control legislation, meaning Republican legislative proposals will take a back seat, said Stapleton.
"What Kitzenberg bought Schweitzer, is now Schweitzer does not have to work with Republicans," he said.
Stapleton said the GOP advanced a moderate agenda this year, including a plan to put more money into the university system to reduce tuition, and Kitzenberg's claims that the GOP has moved to the right are wrong.
"If the party has been so bad to Sam Kitzenberg, why did he use it his whole political career?" Stapleton said. "He used the party to get elected, not once, but repeatedly."
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